Wambo Coal AEMR 2011-2012 - Peabody Energy

2011-2012 AEMR
non-sensitive environment and/or contained area
and saline water discharge.
Major (Category 3)
Incidents categorised as significant are those that
have actual or potential severe damage to the
environment with the potential to result in
environmental liability, regulatory intervention and/or
significant community concern or actual damage
that will require significant remediation/
management.
3.20.2 Environmental Performance
During the reporting period WCPL recorded a total
of eleven environmental incidents, of which there
were eight Category 1 incidents and three Category
2 incidents (Appendix 3). The Category 1 incidents
included small hydrocarbon spills contained within
the open cut pit, excessive dust generation, and
unapproved works commencing on Wambo owned
land.
In accordance with WCPL’s statutory obligations,
regulatory authorities were informed of four
incidents in relation to dam overflow, blasting, dam
seepages and elevated dust results A summary of
the incidents and reports are provided below.
WCPL received a Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN)
on the 12 June 2012 as a result from a site
inspection on the 4 May 2012 by the DP&I. The PIN
was in relation to excessive wheel generated dust
witnessed during the site inspection.
Elevated Dust Result – 20 September 2011
As reported to Scott Brooks via telephone on Friday
23 September 2011, Wambo recorded a PM10 level
of 82.5ug/m 3 for the 24 hour period on 20
September 2011 (midnight to midnight) at
monitoring location PM02. The day was extremely
windy, with upwind monitors (PM03 and PM04)
indicating regional dust contributions of between
26.4 – 27.3 ug/m 3 .
A contributor to the elevated dust result was the
North Wambo Creek Diversion Stage 3 (NWCD)
project. The dust risk from the project was assessed
on the morning of the incident and operations were
halted for the day. The only exception was the water
cart, which was kept on a watering circuit until late
in the afternoon when wind speed had subsided.
However, the strong wind gusts caused difficulties
with the refilling of the water cart, increasing refill
time and decreasing the ground watering capacity.
See Appendix 3 for further information.
South Wambo Dam Overflow 5 March 2012
WCPL received a written request by the
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) dated 29
March 2012, requesting a written report on the mine
water discharge event that occurred on land owned
on the 5 March 2012. The summary of the
investigation and response to the EPA is provide
below.
A discharge to ground when mine water overflowed
from South Wambo Dam (the dam) via the dam
spillway. The discharge was first noticed on the
morning of Monday 05 March 2012, and was halted
by 10am the same day. During a previous
inspection of the dam at 2pm on Saturday 03 March
2012, it was noted that the dam water level was
high, but did not appear to be in any risk of
overflowing. The discharge commenced at some
point after the inspection on the 03 March 2012,
giving a maximum discharge duration of 44 hours.
The dam water level was already high due to high
rainfall, and operational pumping of mine water to
the dam, in the month leading up to the discharge.
The dam has a water level sensor, which sends an
alarm when water level reaches 1m below the dam
spillway level. An inspection in the last week of
February noted a discrepancy between the actual
dam water level and the level being reported by the
water level sensor. At this time a new sensor was
ordered, and pumping to the dam was halted.
Despite this, heavy rain over the weekend of 03-04
March caused the water level to over top the
spillway.
The following measures have been completed or to
prevent a recurrence of the discharge incident,
including a replacement probe for the dam water
level sensor, increased inspection schedules for the
dam has been revised to ensure weekly verification
of the remotely monitored dam water level,
earthworks to reinstate the spillway in accordance
with the dam design, following the temporary works
completed to halt the discharge and environmental
training package to the workforce.
Open Cut Blast 30 March 2012
WCPL received written request on the 2 April 2012
by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
regarding complaints received by the EPA
Environment Line on 30 March 2012 alleging, that
around 3.35pm a large orange plume from a blast
was seen moving towards homes near Jerry Plains.
The complainants also alleged that there was
excessive vibration/overpressure from the blast. The
summary of the investigation and response to the
EPA is provide below.
Two overburden shots were fired in the Wambo
Open Cut at 15:36 (shot M16WWA2) and 15:40
(shot M9WWD2) on Friday 30 March 2012. The two
shots on 30 March 2012 generated ground vibration
and overpressure. The blast monitoring results for
the ground vibration and overpressure from these
shots, as monitored at Wambo blast monitoring
sites, were well within WCPL blasting criteria.
The shots generated airborne dust and visible NOx
fumes. Both shots were observed and
photographed by WCPL environmental staff, and
recorded on video by Downer EDI Mining (Wambo
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